Sideline Leaders
by fsdfsdfsd
Summary: AU. In which C.C is a former knight still in service to her old mistress' only child, Kallen takes up the mask her brother couldn't give power to, and Lelouch just wants to die. (And along the way Ohgi becomes an empath, Nunnally becomes a magnificent bastard, and the Black Knights spam their Geass.) Snippets from a world with switched roles.
1. The Small Change

Sideline Leaders

The Small Change

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"Idiot!"

Nagata barely managed to pull Tamaki back from his reckless charge. In Kallen's opinion, he really should have known better by now.

Half an hour later, Kallen wished he'd let Tamaki die.

"Screw this!" The idiot yelled, pulling at random wires on the container. "If I'm gonna die, I'm at least going to take down as many stinking Brit's as possible!"

"Tamaki, no!" Kallen rammed into him, but it was too late; the capsule was already opening. She braced herself for the worst as the light engulfed them.

But then there was no smoke, no burns, no signs of any toxic gas. Instead, a lot of liquid hit the ground, and a figure clad in white burst forth.

"What the hell?" She muttered.

"A human?" Tamaki gasped.

The figure hit the ground, unconscious. Tentatively, Kallen reached out.

"Hey, what're you doing?"

"She was in that capsule." Kallen snapped. "She probably wasn't on Prince Clovis' payroll." At least, Kallen hoped so. As sick as it might be, she'd prefer if they caught evidence that the prince was into human trafficking, then if they were escorting some dangerous assassin or something.

Still, Kallen turned the figure over. She (he? It?) was dressed in a standard prison straightjacket, with Brittanian features and short dark hair. They were unconscious, whoever they were.

"I think that might be a guy." Kallen scowled. Typical of Tamaki to focus on the irrelevant.


	2. Faust and Mephistopheles

Sideline Leaders

Faust and Mephistopheles

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The funny thing was, despite the royal guards closing in, despite the impossible things she was seeing, despite never even getting to pilot that new Glasglow they got, all Kallen could think about was how Tamaki had been right.

"Nobody wants to die, but you act as though you have a specific purpose you want to live for." The voice- definitely male- echoed through the infinite space Kallen found herself in.

_How is he even alive?_ She wondered.

"I'll make you a deal. If I give you the power to survive this fight, then in the future you have to grant my own wish. If you accept, nothing will be the same. You'll remain human, but destiny will be in your own hands- not just your own destiny, but the destiny of anyone you reach out to and even those you do not.

"The power of the king is absolute- but it damns those who wield it to solitude and madness, should they fail to master it.

"Do you accept?"

Somewhere in her mind, Kallen was aware that she was making a life-changing decision and that she should think carefully about her options. But all she really cared about right now was getting out of this mess, and that the confusing images were making it hard to think clearly.

"Yes."


	3. Introductions

Sideline Leaders

Introductions

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Ohgi stopped walking.

"Kallen." She froze, anxiously anticipating his next words. "I think we deserve an explanation."

Slowly Kallen turned around. She'd been expecting this: suspicion, fear, and even a little bit of anger from her comrades.

"Yeah, Kallen, what the hell happened!" Tamaki shouted.

"You asked us to help you, and we did." Yoshida added. "Now tell us: how did you get those men to listen to you?"

"Are you involved with the military?"

"No!" Kallen shouted. "It's not anything like that! I would never cooperate with those people!"

"Then why did they obey you?" Ohgi asked. Kallen started, clamming up once more. "Start talking. Or we won't be able to trust you."

"You might not believe me." She mumbled.

"Why not?"

Swallowing her fear, Kallen spoke. "Tamaki, do you remember that boy we found in the gas capsule?"

"The one who got shot? Yeah, I remember."

"Now that you mention it, it's kinda strange how the government put so much effort into capturing one guy." Inoue mused.

"No, it's not." Kallen burst out. Confusion bloomed among her allies, except for Ohgi, in whose eyes Kallen saw a spark of understanding.

"You mean to say-" He began. Kallen nodded and finished the sentence.

"Before he died, that boy grabbed my arm. And when he did…" This part Kallen wasn't so prepared for. How could she explain the alien, infinite and eldritch things she saw there? So she simply said, "He spoke to me."

"Bullshit!" Tamaki said. "I was there the whole time, and that guy never-"

"In my mind." A hush fell over the group. Most of them probably doubted her words, but she had to tell them. Kallen swallowed twice and continued. "I know it sounds crazy, but he made a deal with me."

"A deal?"

"He asked me to grant his wish." She paused. "Although he didn't tell me what that wish was, and now that he's dead I suppose I'll never get to uphold my end of the bargain." Everyone was still silent, waiting for her to finish.

"In return, he gave me this- this power."

"Power?" Ohgi whispered.

It's now or never, she realized. "I heard the word "Geass" when we made the deal." The moment of truth. "The power of the kings. The power to control people. To demand absolute obedience." Because that was what her family, what her father and step-mother expected of her- of all Japan. And because she was sick of it.

"Is she serious?" Sugiyama muttered to Yoshida. He shrugged, looking as doubtful as the rest of them.

"Do you mean as in psychic powers?" Ohgi stepped forward. "Kallen…."

"I'm not crazy!" She snapped. "And I'm not kidding."

"Look, I'm not saying that you're lying or anything, but you have to admit that this whole thing sounds a little bit… extreme."

"Yeah, telepathy is just a cool power used in books. It's not real!" Tamaki snorted.

"Then how do you explain what happened?" Kallen snapped. "Look, I don't understand it any more then you guys do, but I'm telling you, that's what happened! If I focus, and the Geass turns on. Then if I give someone an order while making eye contact, they do whatever I say. Just like those guards did, and Prince Clovis."

"It still doesn't make sense…" Kallen groaned at Inoue's words. Clearly, her allies weren't going to trust her without some sort of demonstration-

"But it is." Kallen froze. She knew that voice.

"Who's there!" Six guns turned on the source, but for once Tamaki didn't begin barking threats like usual.

"That's- that's impossible!" He gasped. Silently, Kallen agreed. Although after what she'd done today, the word 'impossible' should probably be removed from her vocabulary.

"You know this guy?"

"He's dead!" Tamaki insisted. "I saw the bullet go into his skull-"

"Yes. I died." The boy calmly stepped forward into a patch of light. "I just didn't stay dead."

"Tamaki, you know this guy?" Sugiyama asked.

"He's the guy who was in that capsule! The one that this entire mess was all about!" He shouted.

"The one who gave me the Geass." Kallen added.

"Correct on both accounts." The boy said. He kept walking even with the hostility of the resistance, until he came to a box and sat down on it.

Ohgi swallowed his fear and spoke first. "Then why were they after you? Why did Prince Clovis want you? What makes you so special that all those people were killed for you?"

"Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?" The boy didn't even blink. "There's at least two reasons why I'd be 'interesting' that you already know about."

"Huh?"

"What's he talking about?"

Ohgi understood. "So you did give Kallen psychic powers."

"Correct." By this point it was a miracle nobody had lost their cool and started firing.

"And somehow you survived being shot in the head." Kallen guessed.

"Like I said, I don't stay dead." The resistance began muttering again.

"Stay dead? What the hell does that-"

With a bang, a bullet embedded itself in the boy's head. For a moment Kallen stared in shock, then-

"Tamaki!"

"Well, he said he didn't stay dead, so it doesn't really matter if we shoot him!" Tamaki growled.

"Yeah, but you didn't-" Kallen began to yell, only to be silenced in shock.

"You know, usually I'd complain, but you've saved me a lot of time." Everyone, through their fear and anger, fell silent in awe. The boy sat up, correcting himself on the crate, as a small metal object dropped from his wound. It was hard to see through the blood, but the wound was closing quickly.

"What the hell?" Someone whispered. The boy caught the bullet in his hand as it fell from his head.

"If I was a fake, if Kallen was a spy, and this entire thing was a trap, you'd prove it when I stayed dead." The boy smiled. "After I claimed to be immortal, what better way is there to discredit me?" No one spoke, and even Kallen was frozen in shock.

"Of course, if my claim was valid- which it is- shooting me proves it. Since those were your own bullets, you know that they aren't fakes, and shooting me in the head eradicates the possibility that I'm wearing a bulletproof vest or something.

"Of course, doing so proves that which you thought was impossible is reality, and thus by extension, that no rule you believe to be absolute is certain. Your friend could easily have gained power from me. Especially since both instances of 'impossible' things happening have the same source- myself- you can simply adjust your way of thinking by accepting that I am an anomaly that violates the laws of reality.

"Really, you've been quite clever for a trigger-happy maniac."

"That's enough!" Kallen had enough of this. "You keep talking, but you're not explaining anything! Who are you? How did you survive that? What did you do to me?"

The boy smirked on the crate. "My name is C.C."


	4. The Flower Planted Eight Years Ago

Sideline Leaders

The Flower Planted Eight Years Ago

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"Enough."

With one word from their shared lady, Sayako turned the radio off. Elizabeth stayed quietly put at Lady Nunnally's side, waiting for orders.

Lady Nunnally folded her hands delicately in her lap. After seven years as the lady's personal protector and six years in Lady Marianne's service before that, the green haired woman knew when her mistress needed silence to think.

"Clovis ordered a massacre in the ghettos." Nunnally said. "It explains why such a large area was cut off, and if this was a mere terrorist sweep only a section of the ghetto would be completely blocked off."

Elizabeth looked briefly at Sayako, but as always the woman was completely calm despite hearing that her people had been massacred. Lady Nunnally turned her chair over to the table and picked up a piece of paper.

"What doesn't make sense is why." She began folding the paper, as Elizabeth knew she did whenever she wanted to focus deeply. "Despite his extreme methods and disregard for human life, Clovis doesn't order death without some explanation.

"What's more, there's the fact that he went into the ghetto himself- although no doubt he was protected, there's no way terrorists could have killed Clovis unless he was already in their territory. Unless they'd planted a spy, or someone had been planning this for a long time.

"Which is certainly possible. It's pretty likely that the JLF had a half-Britannian spy in Clovis' ranks who was disturbed by the massacre and took independent action in killing Clovis to stop it.

"Of course, whoever takes his place will want to avenge Clovis, and they'll focus on crushing the resistance more then ever in Japan."

Lady Nunnally stopped, and put the finished crane down on the table. Elizabeth waited with baited breath for her orders, although she couldn't help but admire the cunning and deduction her lady showed.

"Sayako." The woman responded quickly and politely. "I find out if the JLF had anything to do with Clovis' death, and while you're at it uncover and report to me the names and positions of all the spies they have in the military and the upper class."

"Yes, my lady." Elizabeth watched her go. She knew that Sayako vowed to protect and assist Lady Nunnally, but that didn't change the fact that she was essentially still the handler for the lost princess Kyoko wanted to manipulate. Elizabeth had grown to appreciate her skills and her dedication, but she still didn't trust the woman's loyalty.

Once Sayako had left the room (but perhaps not out of earshot), Lady Nunnally confided in Elizabeth.

"After the death of the viceroy, the Britannians will be more suspicious then ever of the Japanese- and more importantly, more afraid. If I were to reveal myself now, I'd be taken back to Pendragon 'for my own protection' while Schneizel or Cornelia cleans up this mess.

"Even if I did manage to stay in this country, people would want to know where I've been for the last seven years. At least if I went to Pendragon, I'd become a sweet story of a lost girl returning home- with such a happy ending, fewer people would investigate me. But if someone looked too deep, they might connect Sayako with her clan, and from there with Kyoto- or even the JLF.

"Besides which, I haven't even finished school- in the eyes of the public I'm still a child." Lady Nunnally sighed, once again coming to the same conclusion. "This is not a good opportunity, I'll have to wait to reveal myself."

Because she hated seeing her mistress look so sad, Elizabeth spoke up. "Whatever course of action you take, I will always protect you, my lady."

Lady Nunnally graced Elizabeth with a small smile, although the green haired woman knew it was fake. "Where would I be without you, Elizabeth?"

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Note: Elizabeth = C.C.


	5. I Don't Understand that Reference

Sideline Leaders

I Don't Understand that Reference

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"Is that what it looks like?"

Minami shrugged. "The symbol in your eye is more symmetrical, but yeah. That's about it, why?"

Kallen couldn't say why, but something about it was familiar. "I've seen that symbol somewhere before."

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AU: This story includes alternate history for the Code Geass alternate history.


	6. Pop Culture References Explained

Sideline Leaders

Pop Culture References Explained

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"Play that again."

"Huh?" Rebecca turned back to Kallen. "What was that?"

"The news just now." Kallen said, before remembering her cover. "I heard something just a minute ago that sounded interesting, and I wanted to hear it again."

"Well… okay." The girl shrugged and tapped a few buttons on her tablet. Kallen listened closely for anything of importance.

"…And speaking of which, tonight at seven local historian Jennifer Grace will be appearing on the Tonight show about the symbol the Black Knights have been using and it's historical value. Next, we have our own…"

"Is that good?"

"Y-yeah, thanks." Kallen gave a small smile. "I-I'm kinda into history, so I thought it might be fun."

"Really, Kallen? History?" The girl sighed. "Well, I guess when you're in the hospital all the time it's nice to have something that never changes so you don't have to keep up with it."

"Yeah…" Kallen agreed mindlessly, while her so-called friends went back to jabbering on about the cutest boy in school and other mundane topics.

As far as she knew, the symbol they used didn't _have_ any "historical value". Unless you counted C.C as "historical," since despite looking her age they really they had no idea how long he'd been around.

So she found an advertisement for some chess competition that evening and "dropped it" in her room, remembering how he'd shown up unannounced at her school once and expected him to let himself out. The rest of it was just pulling Ohgi and the others together to watch that program.

The first fifteen minutes of it was useless Britannian propaganda, about how "important" their country's national history was, and all this "analysis" of what it meant to have "elevens" use a symbol from Britannian history as part of their resistance.

By the time the historian got around to the actual history, Tamaki had gone searching for beer in the fridge.

"Well, the story takes place between 1642 to 1700, and it uses _this_ symbol-"

Somebody swatted Kallen's arm. "Ow!" She yelped. Inoue pointed- on the screen was the Geass symbol, almost exactly as she'd seen in the mirror.

"- which, as you can see, is very similar to the symbol the Black Knights use."

"Something's actually happening." Minami muttered, before being hushed. On the screen, Dr. Grace continued her speech.

"The story begins before then, in 1632, when Queen Elizabeth became pregnant out of wedlock. The Edict to Ensure Proper Succession hadn't yet been passed yet, and because of the social mores of the time she was forced to hide her pregnancy. She gave birth to fraternal twin boys on December 5th of that year, one who later became Henry XI and the other the infamous Witch King."

Kallen vaguely remembered her history lessons, both as a child and as an adult. The Witch King was a definite historical figure, but thanks to all of the stories and legends very few facts about his life were ever confirmed. Most of the time he showed up in supernatural novels or fantasy books, not the sort of thing Kallen was into.

"According to the records, Elizabeth I gave birth in private and had her sons sent to a covenant, where she rarely visited, until they were ten. That we can confirm. What we can't confirm is that Elizabeth was ultimately bewitched into bringing her sons back to the castle. That's part of the myth behind the Witch King."

The whole story was more interesting then the propaganda, certainly, but it was nothing Kallen could see the point in telling. But soon enough, Dr. Grace brought up the Black Knights.

"You see, there was a symbol that the Witch King used as his own personal insignia. This document, for example-"

The screen switched, instead showing an old document passing some law or other. That was all that Kallen could tell, because Jennifer Grace's speech was drowned out by the shouts of her comrades- and her own yell of surprise.

At the bottom of the page, right next to a smudged signature, was the same Geass symbol reflected in Kallen's own eyes.


	7. First Tries

Sideline Leaders

First Tries

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"I'll do it."

C.C didn't even bother to glance away from the game. "Do what?" He asked sarcastically.

Ohgi clearly had second thoughts from the way he grit his teeth and clenched his fists, but he said it anyways. "I'll make a contract with you."

At first C.C just hummed, clearly only half paying attention. Then Ohgi's words sunk in, and he turned slowly. From the expression he was giving, one would have thought that Ohgi had suggested they strip naked and go dancing in the park.

When it became clear that Oghi wasn't kidding, C.C snorted. Then he smirked, and then laughed. Ohgi couldn't help but notice that his laugh was _exactly_ what you would expect from a self-called witch.

Still giggling, C.C looked Ohgi straight in the eye and asked, "What makes you think _I_ want a contract with _you_?"


	8. Dress-Up Games and Teatime with Dolls

Sideline Leaders

Dress-Up Games and Teatime with Dolls

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"Nana!" Kaguya cried, "It's so good to see you!"

Nunnally giggled, "Kaguya, it's been too long!"

The two girls laughed for a moment, sharing little compliments and trite gossip about servants and classmates that only one of the girls had met. It had been a few months since Nunnally's last summon to Kyoto, but the way the girls were acting one might confuse them for schoolgirls in the same clique.

As neither one really wanted to keep the other girl waiting, it didn't take too long for the girls to get down to business.

"Oh! Did you hear about my cousin?" Kaguya began, whispering in the tone her maids used when they talked about such-and-such sleeping with the new kitchen boy. "He got arrested!"

"Oh, I did!" Nunnally whispered back in an equally eager, yet subdued tone. To anyone listening in, it would look like she was sharing a juicy secret she knew should be kept hidden, yet couldn't help herself in taking some perverse delight in this very fact. "But didn't the court find him innocent?"

Kaguya nodded with a grin. "It's because-"

She suddenly stopped, and looked around as though she was keeping an eye out for nearby eavesdroppers. The only other people in the room were Nunnally's two maid/bodyguards and Kaguya's own protectors, but she still kept up the façade of fearing she would be overheard.

In a much quieter tone with a smaller smirk, Kaguya leaned over the table and whispered in Nunnally's ear. "It's they found undeniable proof he didn't do it."

_The Black Knights._

Both girls knew this already. This was the least of the information they'd heard. Still, Nunnally gasped as though she'd it was news. "No!"

Kaguya nodded. "Really?" Nunnally asked.

"Really." Kaguya said. "And that's not all. The-"

Once again, Kaguya dropped her voice and leaned over to whisper. "The people responsible are going to be visiting Fuji soon."

The atmosphere hadn't changed. The girls were still giggling as though they were exchanging simple gossip. But until that moment, the meeting hadn't held any real information.

_Kyoto is going to start supplying the Black Knights._ Nunnally grinned. "That'll be exciting!"

_I approve_. "Really?" Kaguya giggled. "You don't think it's… weird?"

"Of course not!" The grin fell off Nunnally's face, but the serious expression that replaced it was too exaggerated to be genuine. This time, Nunnally leaned over the table to whisper: "In fact, Sayako told me she'd seen them once, and they sound amazing!"

_I've been keeping my eye on them, and I approve of this group. I might have even contacted them myself._

Kaguya gasped, hand covering her mouth. "Sayako?"

_That was is risky._

Nunnally nodded, "One of the roads had some construction on it, so she went down some back alley to get home in time, and she did some window shopping along the way. She even talked to the cashier at a convenience store they hang around."

_I'm aware of the dangers, but it was worth it. I have made indirect contact with them, but they don't know it was me._

The brown haired girl added, "She told him that he should give them discounts on the drinks."

_I made sure they got information that would benefit them._

"The Orange juice?" Kaguya guessed. Nunnally nodded, although neither girl expected anything else. Kaguya hadn't even known that word held any value until she saw it on TV.

_I was responsible for Jeremiah Gottwald's recent unexplained actions during Suzaku Kururugi's rescue._

Kaguya said, "That's a popular item, isn't it? A discount is going to hurt the store's business."

_Gottwald was your best contact in the government. Why did you sacrifice him?_

Nunnally shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't think they'd abuse it. I guess Sayako was too vague, but she didn't want to make a scene." _In an attempt to maintain my anonymity, I gave away as little information as possible. The Black Knights misunderstood the message or underestimated the gift I gave them and acted in a way I hadn't anticipated._

"Well, what did she expect to happen?" Kaguya asked.

Nunnally said, "I thought they'd buy a pack for each week or so, or one of those big jugs, not throw a party and empty the store." She smiled at Kaguya. "I guess that tells you what to expect: lots of fun, appropriate behavior, or at least well-meaning fun, but someone else will have to tell them how to clean up."

_The Black Knights are talented and powerful. They do not turn to terrorism. They have morals they uphold. But they lack a strong political thinker and they don't understand the public. If you use them, you should treat them like a group of well-behaved foot soldiers._

Kaguya looked thoughtful. "In that case, do you think it'd be better if they stayed at my uncle's place?" _Should we try to incorporate them into the JLF?_

Nunnally made a thoughtful 'hm' noise before responding. "It's up to you. I think if you sent someone to look after them they'd be alright, and maybe a few of them wouldn't mind staying with your uncle, but mostly 'cause they tend to hang out together. If they're your guests, you could just lay down some rules for them."

_You can, or you can try to put your own people in the Black Knights to control them. Some might join the JLF if given the opportunity, but they work best as a group. You could also exchange support for having them obey Kyoto, or simply use your power over them to veto some of their actions._

"Really?" Kaguya asked. "Why would they stay together?"

Nunnally grinned. "I think they have a bit of a reputation on the streets, 'cause they can handle themselves and nobody's arrested any of them _yet_. You know- 'street cred' and all that stuff guys tend to worry about." Both girls burst out in giggles.

_The Japanese public has seen the Black Knights perform the impossible on live television. They have a reputation for doing the right thing, ever since the Hotel incident. The most useful thing about keeping the Black Knights together is that they're new and flashy and impressive, and they inspire hope in people._

Kaguya smiled and said: "Oh! Have you heard about what happened last week?"

_Anything else you want to say about them now?_

Nunnally shook her head. "No, I didn't! Tell me, tell me!"

_Nothing for now._

And so they continued talking about who was wearing what, and which boy was the cutest, and other such things. To any onlooker, it would look like two rich girls with too much time on their hands spending an afternoon together.

To the girls, half of the conversations were of vital importance and contained helpful or precious information to be hoarded carefully. It was a strange affair, but the benefit was that very few people would be able to understand their talks.

It was less then a code, but more then the hidden implications so often used in tense political situations where a mask of civility was required. When the two girls had first met, Kaguya was just starting to learn her way around the dangerous world of socialites and businessmen, and Nunnally had just discovered a place she could escape the barbs and traps of the royal court. Their friendship was genuinely innocent, and innocently genuine.

Now, there was still a genuine element of friendship and goodwill in their relationship, but the innocence was all but gone. Kaguya would help Nunnally only if it was beneficial to her own interests, and Nunnally was willing to advise Kaguya only if it furthered her own plans. For now, the two girls were working towards a common goal. Should that change, they would consider their friendship over.

Yet both girls dearly wanted to avoid that situation. Nunnally might not be willing to draw up complex battle plans for Kaguya to manipulate her way around presenting, but she would give her an honest opinion.

Kaguya in turn would never support funding her friend in council meetings between the six houses without just cause, but she would give Nunnally a heads up on who disapproved of the Western Wisteria plan and why.

Their meetings were half politics, but they made a show out of gossiping and giggling like schoolgirls because they could. Because there was no other time or place where either girl could act in any way that felt even remotely normal without living a lie or being taken for a fool. This was the only time either girl could feel relaxed and _ordinary_ with someone they…

Well, perhaps not someone they trusted. With someone who understood what it was like to have to switch between being a child and being an adult all the time, never wavering in either mask. Their little talks let them mix the childhoods both girls had been forced to cast away too soon, and the maturity they'd worked so hard to cultivate.

For two children living in the world of adults, life was like a switch. Either they were seen as immature little girls given too much power, or they were overestimated as prodigies beyond reproach. Either way, a single mistake no matter how small would cost them dearly.

So it was fun for them, to every once in a while be with someone who understood that balance. Two girls so used to holding up masks, they felt more comfortable using an exaggerated mask they both knew was false then abandoning all pretenses.

They didn't have to feel exposed, but they didn't have to feel fake, assured that neither girl needed to spend their effort convincing anyone.

It was a strange friendship between Kaguya Sumeragi and Nunnally vi Britannia. But for the two of them, it was the closest thing they had.


	9. Read More Sun Tzu

Sideline Leaders

Read More Sun Tzu

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"You should have given up the pawn."

Kallen scowled. "Isn't it enough that I agreed to play this stupid game with you?" She moaned.

The dark haired boy didn't respond. He just took her rook and waited for her to move. Tentatively, Kallen moved the bishop over a few squares. If she could just get his king over there-

"Checkmate."

Kallen blinked. Looked over the board. Groaned, once again. "This game is pointless!" She said, gripping her hair. "Half the time you block whatever I'm doing, and the other half I can barely keep up with your moves!"

"No," C.C said. "You're actually doing both those things, all of the time."

Kallen rolled her eyes. "Exactly!" She said in exasperation. "This game isn't making any sense."

"Which is exactly the point." He continued. "Chess mimics real life strategy and tactics."

Kallen snorted. "I don't see a Knightmare piece anywhere on that board."

"It mimics the thought patterns and mental flexibility needed to be a good tactician." He said as he began collecting the pieces. "What you don't realize is that in real battles, your going to have a target you need to attack, and something special you need to protect."

The girl frowned. "What? You mean like a base?"

"Or a city." C.C folded the board. "Think about your battle with Clovis. During that battle, you had two goals: protect the civilians your friends had gathered in that warehouse, and attack Clovis to end the battle. If you transfer that battle to chess, the people in that warehouse- the people you would give anything to protect- were collectively your own king. Clovis was your enemy's king."

"Yeah," Kallen said slowly, "and I won that battle."

"Because your opponent was almost as much of an amateur as you are." The boy ignored Kallen's angry sputtering. "The minute you go up against a more experienced foe you'll lose: just like you did with Cornelia."

"Hey! That wasn't-"

"Wasn't your fault? Wasn't your idea?" Kallen glared, but the boy continued on. "If you continue to think like that, you'll never be able to win against a more skilled opponent."

"I don't have to." Kallen argued as she got up to leave. "Nobody expects to win when you know your enemy is stronger, it just doesn't make sense."

"Then why are you fighting Britannia? Do you think you can win?"

"Of course not!" Kallen yelled. "Britannia's a superpower, and even if Japan were united we'd be up against one of the biggest empires in the world!"

"Then what's the point of fighting?" C.C asked. Standing above him, Kallen should have felt much more justified then she did. Although the brunette showed no signs of aggression, he returned her glare with enough force she couldn't help but feel she was fighting a losing battle.

"All we're trying to do is limit the damage Britannia does to us." Kallen said with complete conviction.

C.C sighed as he looked at the closed chess box. "And that's why you should learn to play chess."

"I don't even understand what you're saying."

"It's not that simple."

"Then explain it." Kallen glowered, sitting back down on the bed with her arms folded. "_Make_ it simple."

For a minute, she thought C.C would back down. Change the subject to something more personal, like her mother, as he did so often. But instead he looked at her in a way he never had before. For a moment, Kallen could've sworn he looked impressed.

"You said that you were having trouble blocking my actions and making your own moves at once." C.C said, thoughtfully. "In other words, you have a hard time focusing on offense and defense at the same time."

"So?" Kallen asked.

He continued. "Since we've started playing, you've been betting better at each individual aspect of the game. Slowly, but improving nonetheless. Do you remember that rescue mission for the soldier who'd been framed for killing Clovis?"

"Kururugi? Yeah. What about him?"

"When you were planning that event, you focused on one thing and one thing only: getting ahold of your target." His tone turned a little more condescending. "I had to remind you that you needed an escape route, and if it wasn't for that last-minute contact telling you about Orange, you never would have escaped alive."

"In other words," C.C added quickly in response to Kallen's growls, "You focused entirely on your offense and ignored your defense."

"Okay." Kallen said. "So your little game has some actual purpose. Why do I have to keep playing it?"

"Because you need to learn how to think the way chess teaches its players to without getting yourself killed." The boy gave her a look as though she'd just tried to eat her own shoe. "Because it's a good way to learn not only tactics, but creativity without having to fight battles in real life."

"If that's the purpose, why don't we just play Risk or some online battle strategy? Something that uses real battle pieces instead of stuff that makes no sense?" Kallen asked.

"Two reasons. One: because these tactics are not limited to the battlefield." C.C explained. "You can apply them to strategy, politics, and even your daily life so long as you keep an open mind. Those kinds of games teach you to think specifically about battle, whereas chess teaches you to think in new ways and allows you to find your own uses for this mindset."

"And two," The boy shrugged and smirked as he rolled up off the bed. "I'm better at chess."

And that was when Kallen lost her temper.

"So in other words," She shouted as the boy ducked out the door, "You just want to win!"


End file.
